A Brampton City Councillor Is Calling Out Online Bullies

If you’re a regular user of the internet, it’s not hard to find examples that prove online bullying isn’t just a thing that happens to kids. Adults are both bullies and the bullied on digital platforms too, and one Brampton city councillor is clapping back.

Councillor Charmaine Williams (Ward 7-8) released a video last week reading mean comments from her Facebook feed. Williams, who was elected on October 22, came under fire online quickly for her vocal stance against allowing cannabis stores in Brampton.

Williams again made headlines in January after suggesting Brampton should “build a wall” to keep out cannabis. The sentiment, given its Trump-like undertones, wasn’t well received by everyone.

In the video, Williams reads just a handful of the comments that she’s received since she came into office, and many are downright brutal. One commenter refers to her as a “whackadoodle“, another takes it a step further by using derogatory names and implying they hope her children get cancer.

“Cyberbullying is no laughing matter. Now we know where our children and youth learn to bully others,” says Williams.

While reading the comments was a bit of a call out to the people who proved to be bold keyboard warriors, Williams’ video serves a different purpose.

Williams took the opportunity at the end of the video to ask viewers to participate in Pink Shirt Day and take the pledge on February 27 — which is National Anti-Bullying Day in Canda — as a way to fight back against online bullying.